A high-endurance low-temperature polysilicon thin-film transistorEEPROM cell

A planar type polysilicon thin-film transistor (poly-Si TFT) EEPROM cell with electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) N₂O-plasma oxide has been developed with a low temperature (⩽400°C) process. The poly-Si TFT EEPROM cell has an initial threshold voltage shift of 4 V for programming and erasing voltages of 11 V and -11 V, respectively. Furthermore, the poly-Si TFT EEPROM cell maintains the threshold voltage shift of 4 V after 100 000 program/erase cycles. The excellent high endurance of the fabricated poly-Si TFT EEPROM cell is attributed to the ECR N₂O-plasma oxide with good charge-to-breakdown (Qbd) characteristics     

Self-sensing and dispersive evaluation of single carbon fiber/carbon nanotube (CNT)-epoxy composites using electro-micromechanical technique and nondestructive acoustic emission

Self-sensing and interfacial evaluation were investigated with different dispersion solvents for single carbon fiber/carbon nanotube (CNT)-epoxy composites by electro-micromechanical technique and acoustic emission (AE) under loading/subsequent unloading. The optimized dispersion procedure was set up to obtain improved mechanical and electrical properties. Apparent modulus and electrical contact resistivity for CNT-epoxy composites were correlated with different dispersion solvents for CNT. CNT-epoxy composites using good dispersion solvents exhibited a higher apparent modulus because of better stress transferring effects due to the relatively uniform dispersion of CNT in epoxy and enhanced interfacial adhesion between CNT and the epoxy matrix. However, good solvents exhibited a higher apparent modulus but lower thermodynamic work of adhesion, W_a for single carbon microfiber/CNT-epoxy composite. It is attributed to the fact that hydrophobic behavior with high advanced contact angle was observed for CNT-epoxy in the good solvent, which might not be compatible well with the carbon microfiber. Damage sensing was also detected simultaneously using AE combined with electrical resistance measurement. Electrical resistivity increased stepwise with progressing fiber fracture due to the decrease in electrical contact by the CNT.     

Analysis of metal-interlaced-grating vertical-cavitysurface-emitting lasers using the modal method by modal expansion

It is analyzed by the modal method by modal expansion (MMME) that the strong polarization discrimination of a vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) can be effectively obtained by using the metal-interlaced grating on the topmost layer of the VCSEL. The MMME is used to overcome the problems coming from the large permittivity discontinuities at GaAs-Al-air-Al interfaces. The analyses predict the correct direction of dominant polarization and the mode-suppression ratio. The calculated transmission efficiencies explain the characteristics of the VCSEL's below threshold. It is found that the difference in phase and amplitude between the two orthogonal polarization generated by the grating plays important roles for the selection of a dominant polarization through mirror reflectivities and mirror losses. In addition, the influence of various thin metal layers on polarization stabilization is demonstrated     

Preparation and characterization of immobilized ion exchange polyurethanes (IEPU) and their applications for continuous electrodeionization (CEDI)

Immobilized ion-exchange polyurethanes (IEPU) were prepared as ion conducting spacers in continuous electrodeionization (CEDI) for the treatment of a synthetic primary coolant. Ion exchange resins were immobilized by using allophanate/biuret cross-linking in preparation of polyurethane. Synthesized IEPU was characterized in terms of mechanical strength, ion exchange capacity (TEC), electrical conductivity and the porous plug model, which schematically represents the transport pattern through the IEPU. CEDI was carried out in a laboratory scale with an effective area of 20 cm². The CEDI operation with a layered bed configuration showed the main removal mechanism of cobalt ion was dependent on the active surface area between ion conducting materials. The performance of the CEDI operation showed over 98% removal of cobalt ions, suggesting the feasibility of IEPU as ion conducting spacers in a CEDI system.     

A study on stack configuration of continuous electrodeionization for removal of heavy metal ions from the primary coolant of a nuclear power plant

This study investigated the production of high-purity water in the primary coolant of a nuclear power plant via the continuous electrodeionization (CEDI) process, using ion exchange resins as ion-conducting media between ion exchange membranes. The effectiveness of this method was examined with respect to the removal of heavy metals. The study was carried out on a laboratory scale with an effective area of 20 cm(2). The CEDI system was operated with a layered bed of cation exchange resins, anion exchange resins, and mixed-bed ion exchange resins. The stack configuration was designed to prevent a reaction between metal ions and hydroxide ions. The CEDI operation with the layered bed removed more than 99% of the ions at 30% of the current efficiency. The results showed that, with an inlet conductivity of 40 microScm(-1), a linear velocity of 4.17 cms(-1), and an applied current density of 17 mAcm(-2), the CEDI process yielded an outlet conductivity of 0.5 microScm(-1), thereby preventing the precipitation of metal ions. This study therefore successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the CEDI operation for the removal of heavy metals at a very low concentration.     

Adaptive walking pattern generation and balance control of the passenger-carrying biped robot,HUBO FX-1, for variable passenger weights

A passenger-carrying biped robot is a practical robot capable of carrying a passenger for both entertainment purposes and disabled transport by means of biped walking. In the walking controls of the biped walking robot, changes in the payload are not generally considered. However, in the case of a passenger-carrying biped robot, the range of possible payloads for passenger weight is relatively wide, from zero to approximately one hundred kgf. In the authors’ previous research pertaining to passenger-carrying biped robots, the robot was modeled using a specific passenger weight; hence, the control parameters were tuned for it and kept to be constant. However, the previous method’s weakness was a decrease in the walking performance and walking stability of the robot when the passenger’s weight was much heavier or lighter than the predefined passenger weight. Therefore, in this paper, the walking pattern generation and balance control methods are developed to adaptively cope with variable passenger weights. These methods are then experimentally verified to ensure that the walking performance could be preserved uniformly for a variation of passenger weights.     

Large enhancement of fluorescence efficiency from CdSe/ZnS quantum dots induced by resonant coupling to spatially controlled surface plasmons

Nanoengineered fluorescent response is reported from semiconductor core-shell (CdSe/ZnS) quantum dots in proximity to the surface plasmon polariton field of periodic Ag nanoparticle arrays. Tuning the surface plasmon polariton resonance to the quantum dot exciton emission band results in an enhancement of up to approximately 50-fold in the overall fluorescence efficiency, in a design where each Ag nanoparticle is interconnected by a continuous Ag thin film. Propagating modes of surface plasmon resonances have a direct impact on the fluorescence enhancement.     

Mutation of the protein-O-mannosyltransferase enhances secretion of the human urokinase-type plasminogen activator in Hansenula polymorpha

Human urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is poorly secreted and aggregates in the endoplasmic reticulum of yeast cells due to inefficient folding. A screen for Hansenula polymorpha mutants with improved uPA secretion revealed a gene encoding a homologue of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein-O-mannosyltransferase Pmt1p. Expression of the H. polymorpha PMT1 gene (HpPMT1) abolished temperature sensitivity of the S. cerevisiae pmt1 pmt2 double mutant. As in S. cerevisiae, inactivation of the HpPMT1 gene affected electrophoretic mobility of the O-glycosylated protein, extracellular chitinase. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, disruption of HpPMT1 alone caused temperature sensitivity. Inactivation of the HpPMT1 gene decreased intracellular aggregation of uPA, suggesting that enhanced secretion of uPA was due to improvement of its folding in the endoplasmic reticulum. Unlike most of the endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins, HpPmt1p possesses the C-terminal KDEL retention signal.